Torpedo-guard.



F. CORRADO & W. J. DOYLE.

TORPEDO GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1916.

1,204,547. Patnted Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

m. IL. $Mm

F. CORRADO & W. J. DO YLE.

TORPED O GUARD. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 19.16.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

entrain stra n rarities TGRPEDO-GUAED.

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Specification 0; Letters ffatent.

Patented Nov. 2rd, inlet Aivplication filed March, 1916. Serial No. 34,332.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANK Commoo and WILLIAM5. Down, citizens of the United States, and residents of Evanston,county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have jointly 1nvented certain newand useful Improvements in Torpedo-Guards, of which the following is aspecification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indeviccsfor protecting vessels at sea from injury resulting from contactwith torpedoes.

Figure 1 of the drawings shows how nets hung on the shock absorbers.Fig. 2 shows how knots in the marine cable nets are tied. Figs. 3 and 5show construction of nets, which are each fastened to a' cable on topand bottom. Fig. 4 is shock absorber on which nets are hung. Fig. 6shows snaps which are to be used on all connections on cables and netsand arm number on Fig. 4.

lhe guard includes three nets placed one behind the other, the outernets being of let mesh and the middle one of 9 mesh.

nets are made in sections. as shown in b, and are attached at the topand bottom to sectional flexible cables 7, all sections 'i' einconnected by eyes and hooks shown in p (3. lhe hook and eye connectionsof each net layer are offset about two feet from each other so that theconnections will not be in alinement transversely of the guard shown inFig. 3. When one section is clamaged it can be removed by release of thehook and eye connections, and ancther'seo tion can be inserted. Atorpedo striking the net is prevented from glancing by contact with themiddle and rear net.

The cables are hung from adjustable telescopic and sectional booms bymeans of the arms 2 pivoted to the end of the slidable' section thereofand connected to the nonslidable section by springs 4. and cord 5, theformer yielding when a torpedo strikes the net to permit the arms 2 toturn, the extent of the turning movement being limited by the cord 5.The booms are made of heavy tubes 1 receiving the sliding members 3,.themovement oi the latter being resisted by spring ti. Pressure on the netis transmitted to the spring after the cord 5 is taut.

in operation, the arms 2 first permit the torpedo to press the guardrearwardly and downwardly, giving the nets :1. chance to interpose theirown resistance, and after the I cord 5 tightens the rod 3 is pressedback against the spring ll. When the arm Z/is pressed back as faras'possible, the nets will have a tendency to rise upward, deflectingthe nose of the torpedo upwardly.

Preferably the corresponding sections of the several net layers are oflike length. By' this means the offset position of the hook and eyeconnections for the several net layers is maintained at all of thejoints. @n the other hand, the normal depth of the intermediate netslightly exceeds that of the outer nets.

The intermediate net accordingly hangs loosely between the top andbottom cables '7.

'We claim as our invcntion 1. The combination with vessel, a boomextending outwardly there from, an arm pivotally mounted upon the outerend of the boom, a net suspended from the free end of the arm and aspring resistin g the pivotal IIlOVll'lGIll) of the arm.

The combinatii'in with the hull of a vessel, a boom extending outwardlytherefrom. said boom comprising inner and outer slidingly connectedmembers, means yieldingly resisting the inward sliding movement of theouter member of the boom on thesaid inner member, an arm pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on the outer end of the outer boom memberto swing in a vertical plane, a net suspended from the lower end of thesaid arm, a spring extending between the other end of the arm and theinner boom member and means limiting the extension of the spring. v

ln a torpedo guard, in combination, flexible to i and bottom cables andthree layers of flexible net all connected. to the said cables at toplayer of net being of. smallmesh and of greater depth than the twoouter'layers of net to extend loosely between the cables when separatedto the greatest distance permitted by the said outer layers.

4. In a torpedo guard in combination flexible top and bottom cablesformed in sec tions. means detachaliily connecting the sections of eachcable end to end, a plurality of layers oi flexible net of dilferentmesh all connected to the said cables at top and bottom, each layer ofnet being formed in seethe hull of a and bottom, the intermediate tionsof like length with the cable sections vessel, of a horizontal series ofindependent and means detachably connecting the sections longitudinallyyielding supports extending of the corresponding layers of net end tooutwardly therefrom adjacent the Water line 13 lend, the lines ofconnection of the sections of and :1V net suspended from the tmter endsof 5 the several layersof net being longitudinally the said sup p(1115;.v

offset. FEAIFJK RYRADO 5. The combination With the hull of a KHLLD-

